Photo of the Day 24 March 2008


Clown Triggerfish, Tukangbesi Islands, Indonesia, 2005
Photograph by Tim Laman
Found in coral-rich seaweed reefs in the Pacific Ocean, clown triggerfish, such as this patterned juvenile in Indonesia's Tukangbesi Islands, are master predators. The fish blow streams of water at the sand to expose hiding prey, then use their powerful jaws and rows of sharp teeth to crush through hard-shelled reef creatures such as sea urchins, clams, snails, and crabs.